Solar Chit Chat for the Seasonal BBQ

Its that time of year again when the credit card reaches breaking point and the diary looks more like a war zone than it does an order of events. Which family will we see this year? Who will we invite to our party? When will we schedule our party against everyone elses? And the big one – how will we pay for it?

With that in mind I thought we should provide some talking points for this year’s BBQ, Christmas lunch or booze fueled dinner. After all – statistics always sound better once exaggerated with a bottle of Moet right!?

The biggest issue for the average Australian moving forward is the cost of living. Whether it be your utility bills, registration, fuel or just about any other essential expense it seems that the only way they move is up. Meanwhile our discretionary spending continues to move down, further impacting business and therefore placing an even larger drag on the economy as a whole.

We cant fix the economy – even Smokin Joe is looking like his Christmas cigar will be late, but we can most certainly reduce the cost of living through solar PV. Is this a sales pitch? Of course. But at the same time its an honest overview of the situation at hand and what we can do to solve it.

If one looks at the annual family budget and applies a razor’s edge, its very hard to find savings in anything but discretionary spending. One cant simply shave a few months off the registration bill without risking an appearance in court. With the way water is priced it seems almost pointless to put the family pets on rations, or empty the pool, but as anyone with solar will attest, one can quite easily reduce the average electricity bill.

There are a few reasons why some people havnt done this. Some simply dont have the suitable roof space and face issues such as shading, whilst others dont own their own home. Others are suspicious of returns and quite rightly wonder if they can trust the solar sales companies. Some have already maxed their credit on soon to be forgotten Christmas presents and therefore would struggle to afford the initial cost.

There have been some big changes in this regard. One is that unlike a car loan or a tv leasing scheme, a solar finance agreement will most certainly return more than double the cost of interest repayments. Anyone in business will tell you that the only reason to take on more debt is if it is to finance a profitable operation, which returns a margin more than the finance costs. With the average solar return clocking in at 30%, its not hard to see how a solar PV system can return a lot more than the average interest rate.

ELECTRICITY FOR FREE

But how does solar return? A lot of people get stuck on this and fail to understand how something which costs so much money can ‘return’ them money in the long run. The facts are this; A solar PV system is effectively a bulk purchase of electricity. When you buy a solar system you are purchasing 10 years worth of electricity in advance for the price of 3 to 4. It is likely that you will have to replace your inverter at the 10 year mark, however your panels will probably last 20. This brings the long term aspect to ‘purchasing 20 years worth of electricity for the price of 5’ with all reasonable maintenance factored in.

So solar begins to return through reduced electricity prices from day one. Before one reaches even halfway through the initial investment period of 10 years, the system is paid for and outputting electricity for free. It does this by reducing your electricity bills and therefore putting a few dollars back into the new year’s wallet.

THE kWHR APPROACH

The other way of looking at this is by pricing the cost of power which comes out of a solar system. This is easy to calculate, as any reputable company will provide some sort of production estimate. If one takes this estimate and multiplies it out to 10 years it will give a total number of kWhr’s produced. For example a 5kW system will produce approximately 4.15kWhr per kW installed in the Brisbane area. So 5 x 4.15 = 20.75kWhr x 365 x 10 = 75,737kWhrs over its initial lifetime of 10 years. Now lets say that solar system cost $6,500 we could then divide $6,500 by 75,737kWhrs to give a cost of 8c per kWhr.

Whats the cost per kWhr on your average bill? With it likely been close to 30c INC GST it is then obvious that solar would save some 22c on every single kWhr that is used.

If that isnt enough to convince you the latest Energex costings estimate that your electricity price will increase in line with CPI every year for the next ten years. Many people would say this is conservative ourselves included. So that figure on your bill can only go up – the figure that comes with solar is locked in upon date of purchase from then until term completion.

Can you or your mates name any other investments which will return 30% p.a? If anyone hears of any such investments at this year’s BBQ then please give us a call, but otherwise the big question is, ‘have you maximized your solar PV investment?’ What could you do with the savings produced by reducing your power bill by up to 50%? Will your solar company guarantee its production estimates and put them in writing?

With our economy struggling to maintain its blip its even more important that consumers maximize their savings wherever possible. For homeowners this means targeting their day time power usage and reducing their night time power usage by changing lamps to LED. We have some great calculators which can help you estimate your returns on both solar and LED here;

BUSINESS SAVINGS

For business owners can you really expect to compete against competitors who have already taken advantage of government subsidies and therefore reduced their operating costs vs your own? Can you afford not to have solar PV? Government subsidies are available as a point of purchase discount for systems up to 100kW in size, therefore making them an incredible business investment even when based on finance. Ask us about our leasing model which enables a business to claim all repayments as a direct tax deduction. The business takes ownership at the end with no more to pay and can expect returns on par of 25-30% in line with the domestic model.

So this Christmas munch on a shrimp and enjoy the cricket, but when the topic of bills comes up dont forget your reliable friend solar PV!

I had a 4kw microinverter system installed just before Christmas and was extremely happy with the whole process. The customer service is fantastic, they made sure i got the right system for my needs and were very informative throughout the process. On the installation day the guys were very knowledgeable and take great pride in their work. I will definitely refer them to others and will definitely use them again in the future. The system runs really well and was great to see my meter run backwards!

Can highly recommend Ecoelectric for solar system design & installation. They offered a competitive price using quality PV & panels. Dan & Matt did a great install with Jeff and Kristeen coordinating from the office and following up all the details.

Everything went well regarding installation, plus the solar panels are working fine. And watching the progress with the computer software is great compared to our last home system. Thank you, Ecoelectric.

These guys take their work very seriously and use quality materials at a competitive price. Nothing was too much trouble. Easily the best customer service out of the various quotes I got. Very happy with the final product.

I had Ecoelectric install a solar power system on my house in Daisy hill.
They have been very good to deal with no matter what i asked they could not be more helpful.
Always did what they said they would do whether getting information for me,returning calls or when we first lost power because of a tree falling on power lines in the area, I gave them a quick call and they were excellent, could not be happier with their service.
To Adrian, Kristeen and the team a Ecoelectric thank you for a job well done.

Eco electric did an amazing job designing and installing my solar panels. They were thorough in assessing my property for its suitability and helped me choose the right products.
They turned up on time on the days chosen. I felt for Matthew who did a great job up on my hot roof, and in the ceiling cavity. No mess, no damage, finished on time.
I thoroughly recommend them for your solar needs.

I had Jeff visit me and give me straight answers to all my questions. Jeff then designed a system that meets my family's needs perfectly. The installation was problem free and service first class. Next step is a battery, and Jeff has given me great advice about this too. My first quarterly power bill with solar was impressive. My power bill went from $330 per quarter to $50 per quarter. Verdict: I couldn't be happier with Jeff and his team. And I'm looking forward to getting that battery eventually from Ecoelectric too.

These guys are superstars! From pre-sales, to appointment, to work, to follow-up. I can't recommend these guys any higher. If you know what you, not sure what you want or after some simple advice they have you covered. When it came to doing the work at my place, they turned up on time, were extremely polite, professional & tidy. What more can you ask for? You guys are now my go to electricians!

The lads from Ecoelectric just installed a 10kW system with Reposit and dual independent emergency power systems at my place in Mundubbera. Aside from the fact that Jeff was one of the small minority of the many Solar contractors I talked to who could actually get his head around the stupid complexity of what I wanted to achieve, he and his troops did a very solid and aesthetically pleasing job of putting the gear in. Full marks.

Jeff Wehl and his team at Ecoelectric have been a delight to work with. The quality of their work and attention to detail is 2nd to none. We now have 54 solar panels scattered around our home providing nearly 80kw of power on most days. We couldn't be happier. There after sales service is without peer! I often get emails from Jeff commenting on the power usage at our home, showing me that he is always monitoring our system. And the refund on our bill from power company earlier this year was a nice bonus. We have been extremely pleased with all facets of their operation and will continue to use their services in the future.

Ecoelectric just installed a 3.2 kW enphase system in our Riverhills home. Everything proceeded smoothly and the install was completed in one day. They even relocated our antenna and replaced some already cracked roof tiles. At the end the guys explained how the system works and gave us a run down on the upcoming connection and meter replacement. The system is already generating on day 1, and we were happy to see that the kWh generated were in excess of the estimate. We are pretty happy all up - thanks Ecoelectric.

Thanks to the Ecoelectric team – really happy with the installation. The guys were polite and took the time to explain the set up in full. When we raised a minor issue, the customer service was prompt and outstanding. No mess left after the installation and the new panels look great! Thanks again, Nick - St Lucia.

Jeff and his team installed a new solar system and change over of lights. The installation was impressive and we found the guys reliable and trustworthy. Jeff provided us with great advice and there was no hard sell. Would definitely recommend them.

Just had a new inverter installed. I appreciate the fast service and how pleasant you guys all are. I had some questions and you took the time to answer and give me options which not every place does. Thank you. Hopefully have you guys back when I need to expand. Good work.

Thanks to Jeff and his brilliant team at Ecoelectric for installation of 6kw system with LG Panels with Enphase microinverters. Very good pre installation support with answering all my questions and concerns!!

I've had the experience of being powered by Ecoelectric on a number of occasions. This includes both domestic and business services, these guys are well earthed and full powered. Innovative. Trustworthy. Affordable.

Jeff and the team are by far the most professional company I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. With so much knowledge, experience and high standards of work I highly recommend them for any electrical job you'd need done.

Ecoelectric have been an incredibly helpful source of advice & industry knowledge to me whilst I have been looking for the right solar installer & system for my property. Despite the fact that they do not currently service properties in NSW they have been exceptionally time & information giving over the phone and email to assist me find the right installer for my needs. I am so grateful to Adrian and Jeff for talking through quotes and offering helpful tips along the way, and without a doubt I would recommend Ecoelectric for solar energy solutions! Thanks SO much guys! :)

Well I have avoided all the pressure and hype about solar panels because we have had a couple of sleezy lying bastards give us quotes, and also because I figured our bills weren't too bad anyhow, but I have the self sufficiently bug, and thought we should have another look at it, especially as our provider said our power was $68 a week and about to go to $90. SSOOOoooo we contacted 3 solar companies to get quotes, only one bothered to reply. We needed some major stuff done first, power connected from house to shed so panels could be installed on shed and not cottage etc, and the entire meter box moved and replaced. EcoElectric were the guys we used, did the entire job including panels, great guys, friendly and efficient .Adrian the young bloke from Eco, worked out our needs so we had enough power to run everything and still feed back into the grid. Being mindful here that our monthly bill is just shy of $360 , plus the extensive work, had we gotten this financed, would still have been less than $200 per month.And so today we flicked the switch......and being me the disbelieving cow that I am, armed with Adrian's number on speed dial, I turned on every big thing we have..aircon, washer, dryer, dishwasher, lights, including the norm....fridges freezers etc....and I will be darned we are off the grid folks!!! And still feeding back into the grid for night time....taaaadaaaaaaa! Seriously if you are in Brisbane or surrounds, call Adrian at Eco for a quote!!! You won't regret it. 07 33766409.

It's been 3 weeks since I first started dealing with Adrian. At first he helped me immensely by dealing with another company on my behalf to get me out of trouble. Then he came all the way to Esk to talk me through their terrific products and services. I signed up on the spot. The same week Pat, Matt and Chris came to my house and installed my solar panels and inverter, and solar meter. All 4 gentleman were extremely helpful and answered my many questions with patience. I have called Adrian on occasions since the installation for advice and with more questions, and even outside business hours he has always helped me. It is a credit to ecoelectric to have such passionate and sincerely genuine sales and trades people on their staff. I will be recommending them to anyone who will listen! Thank you all so much.

We recently has Eco Electric install our solar inverter & panels. They were very competitively priced and their service across the board was excellent. Adrian the salesman was very informative, Kristeen the office manager could not have been more helpful and the installer Chris was sensational. Could not recommend them highly enough

Ecoelectric installed my 4kw solar system 4 years ago and have had no trouble until recently when I managed to disconnect a plug when cleaning leaves out from under the panels. I did try to find it myself but couldn't. I gave them a call and they came out promptly and found the problem within a few minutes. Not only that but when here they gave it the once over and ungraded a couple of things to bring it up to todays standards. All this was done quickly and at a very reasonable price while all the while explaining what they doing. I can not recommend their service enough for the professional manner and friendly service they offer.